Yasi Triumphs in Old Blighty!

9/4/98 - Rich Yasi scored a stunning upset victory at Silverstone yesterday, stopping Dave Kaemmer's winning streak at three. After a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle in the early laps, Yasi drove a heady race, keeping pressure on the flying Kaemmer throughout.

On the 17th lap, moments after setting fastest lap of the race, Kaemmer buckled, throwing his Lotus into a wild, 720-degree spin at Woodcote, letting Yasi through for the lead. A lap later, to add insult to injury, Kaemmer's Cosworth let go in a big way, leaving Yasi to romp to an uncontested victory.

 
 The flag drops at Silverstone!
In qualifying, Kaemmer produced what has become his habitual stunning lap, putting in a 1:28.39, fully one and one-half seconds quicker than anyone else! Yasi was second with a 1:29.85, the only other driver under 1:30. Kevin Wasson improved further on the excellent form he has shown of late, and put his Eagle on the front row with a 1:30.46.

This performance, on the heels of Alison Hine's front row qualifier in France, would seem to suggest that the Lotus stranglehold on the top positions is beginning to crack.

The other big surprise of qualifying was Matt Sentell, who was unfamiliar with the circuit and was unable to spend any significant time practicing during the week due to duties revolving around the pending release of Grand Prix Legends. Sentell's time left him seventh, on the outside of the second row of the 4/3/4 grid.

 
 The field storms away, leaving streaks of tortured rubber
Bill Betts and Brian Berry were quite disappointed to miss the race. An obscure bug surfaced only an hour before practice was scheduled to begin, and with the release on the point of "going gold", there was no time to lose. Before the race was over, the dedicated pair had quashed the bug ensuring that the final release would go forward as planned.

The qualifying order:

 
 Kaemmer takes Yasi at Club
The field got away to a clean start, but into Copse for the first lap, Sentell ran wide and poor Bob Motisko got caught up as Matt re-entered the track. The resulting entanglement put Sentell into a deep hole from which he would spend most of the race struggling to emerge, and the outcome could have a significant impact on the championship.

Yasi had gotten the jump on Kaemmer off the grid, and the two went at it tooth and nail for four laps, nose to tail and sometimes side by side. Yasi drove his Lotus hard and well, hoping to hold onto the lead while Kaemmer looked for a way by.

Finally Kaemmer got a run out of Stowe and was able to dive inside at Club, as Yasi locked his brakes in a vain attempt to stay in front. Yasi kept it close for a while, but Kaemmer began to set one fast lap after another, eventually leaving the record at a stunning 1:29.46 on the 17th lap.

 
 Marsala and Sanford duel in one of the day's best battles
In the early laps, Matt Marsala and Scott Sanford staged an exciting battle for seventh, one of the best of the day. Sanford repeatedly demonstrated his amazing car control, while Marsala displayed the kind of heads-up driving which would characterize his race. Several times Sanford had moments which gave Marsala the opportunity to make a passing attempt, and each time Matt decided that discretion was the better part of valor. His prudence would pay off as the race went on.

Kevin Wasson was staying with the leaders, right behind Johns in fourth, when a mysterious disconnect yanked him from the race at the start of the third lap. Afterwards, the engineers speculated that heavy traffic on the LAN may have been responsible.

After doing so well in France, Shawn Wise had a dreadful day, qualifying sixth but getting into one fix after another during the race, starting with a punt by Sanford on the second lap. A wild spin a few laps later across the grass alongside the Farm Straight and across the runway into Woodcote seemed to go on forever. This drew a black flag, and after serving a penalty in the pits, Shawn found his day going from bad to worse when his Weslake blew up in a gout of flame on the Hangar Straight. After repairs, he persevered valiantly to an eighth place finish.

 
 Kaemmer's Lotus spins at Woodcote
Despite Kaemmer's blistering pace, Yasi remained within striking distance, keeping Dave's fleeing Lotus within sight for many laps. Finally, Kaemmer's brilliant run came to an end, as the Lotus' tail snapped out on turn-in to Woodcote. Kaemmer corrected, but it was too late, and the car began a lurid slide to the inside which ended with the car high-centered on the top edge of the banking at the outside of the turn, revolving on its belly for two full rotations.

Kaemmer got going again quickly, but Yasi was through and into the lead he would hold to the end. Kaemmer fought back, and two laps later was on Yasi's tail when the Ford-Cosworth exploded on the main straight right in front of the pits, scattering parts everywhere.

Later Kaemmer admitted that he was still running his qualifying gearing, and the car was on the rev limiter for a sustained period at the end of the Hangar Straight on every lap. Bitter experience has taught this writer than the Cosworth won't take that kind of abuse forever, as Dave found out to his dismay. Although Kaemmer resumed after repairs, he now had no chance of catching Yasi, barring a mistake by the latter.

 
 Hine gleefully retakes fourth from the spinning Sentell
While all this excitement was going on at the front of the field, Tony Johns was circulating alone in third. Alison Hine was in fourth, but Matt Sentell was slowly reeling her in, and on lap 19 Sentell made a dive down the inside going into Copse. He thought better of it at that point, but was able to make the pass going into Maggots moments later, demoting Hine to fifth.

Knowing Sentell was faster, Hine resigned herself to the position, only to come round Club two laps later to find Sentell on his head! Matt had overcooked it, and a trip across the grass and into the earth bank on the outside was his reward.

Sentell really started charging at that point, and with two laps to go, when Hine slowed to avoid a spinning Ferrari at Becketts, he caught her once again, and roared by down the straight between Stowe and Club. However, Matt lost it himself at Becketts a lap later, letting a delighted Hine through for a fourth-place finish. She said later that her goal had been to run a steady race, with no mistakes, and except for one moment at Copse, she achieved her goal and was well pleased with the results.

 
 Yasi takes the checker
Yasi drove carefully in the closing laps to come home to a well-deserved win, with Kaemmer a chagrined second and Tony Johns third after a lonely race. Matt Marsala was elated with his well-deserved sixth place, earning his first point of the season after a solid drive.

The results:

Fastest Lap 14 D. Kaemmer LOT 1:29.46

Points Standings